Pub landlady wins case over use of foreign decoder

[Mikeegrini]

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15162241" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15162241</a>

A pub landlady has won the latest stage of her fight to air Premier League games using a foreign TV decoder.

Karen Murphy had to pay nearly £8,000 in fines and costs for using a cheaper Greek decoder in her Portsmouth pub to bypass controls over match screening.

But she took her case to the European Court of Justice.

The ECJ now says national laws which prohibit the import, sale or use of foreign decoder cards are contrary to the freedom to provide services.

The decision could trigger a major shake-up for the Premier League and its current exclusive agreements with Sky Sports and ESPN.

 

[waspish]

Don't know if this is a good thing or a bad one! When sky Renegotiate the package for premier games next time will they offer less money?

 

[unexpected item]

She'll have more affect on football finances in the Prem than Platini will, I reckon.

 

[Carver]

Beat me to it Mike, I was starting the other thread when you started yours. I'm just going out to rob Jodrell Bank for a decent dish and fix it on my wall ;-)

There is a but: They are only allowed to broadcast the match, probably only the match feed. They are not allowed to broadcast all the programme made by sky, espn etc. (e.g. analysis, interviews, maybe sky/espn commentary).

Good, I only want the match anyway.

 

[Mikeegrini]

Beat me to it Mike, I was starting the other thread when you started yours. I'm just going out to rob Jodrell Bank for a decent dish and fix it on my wall ;-)

There is a but: They are only allowed to broadcast the match, probably only the match feed. They are not allowed to broadcast all the programme made by sky, espn etc. (e.g. analysis, interviews, maybe sky/espn commentary).

Good, I only want the match anyway.

It will be interesting to see how Sky etc try to ''manage'' this. The next court case will, I expect, be about the 3 o'clock kick offs being show live in pubs contrary to FA wishes and rules.

 

[Carver]

Don't know if this is a good thing or a bad one! When sky Renegotiate the package for premier games next time will they offer less money?

Good for City as we don't rely on the Sky money. Bad for the sky 4 but probably good for Villa, Newcastle, Spurs, Everton- those in the 2nd monetary tier as there will be less of a difference in money earned through tv rights, allowing them to close the gap.

Will it be good for football in general? I don't know. There could be less money around and it may be that less filters down to the lower tiers.

 

[Mikeegrini]

Don't know if this is a good thing or a bad one! When sky Renegotiate the package for premier games next time will they offer less money?

Good for City as we don't rely on the Sky money. Bad for the sky 4 but probably good for Villa, Newcastle, Spurs, Everton- those in the 2nd monetary tier as there will be less of a difference in money earned through tv rights, allowing them to close the gap.

Will it be good for football in general? I don't know. There could be less money around and it may be that less filters down to the lower tiers.

I think you are calling it about right there mate. Looks to me as if we, as a club, are in the just the right place at just the right time, again. :)

 

[Carver]

Beat me to it Mike, I was starting the other thread when you started yours. I'm just going out to rob Jodrell Bank for a decent dish and fix it on my wall ;-)

There is a but: They are only allowed to broadcast the match, probably only the match feed. They are not allowed to broadcast all the programme made by sky, espn etc. (e.g. analysis, interviews, maybe sky/espn commentary).

Good, I only want the match anyway.

It will be interesting to see how Sky etc try to ''manage'' this. The next court case will, I expect, be about the 3 o'clock kick offs being show live in pubs contrary to FA wishes and rules.

They still have certain rights. They could just delay the 'live feed' around the globe for 15 mins. so that only their tv programme can be broadcast live. I doubt that they would do this though as the revenue from other tv companies around the world for a live programme is huge and would outweigh UK subscriber fees by a huge amount.

 

[LawsBackHeel]

Nothing has been settled yet this is just a ruling in the EJC it still has to go back to the High Court in London as they referred it for a guidline but they can still throw it out yet and keep the rights as they are.

I is very unlikely but at this time nothing has changed. Also it only affects the European broadcasting which only accounts for around 10% of the total overseas package so that money is pretty safe and the UK package will still be ok as major pub chains and hotels will still hsow sky for better coverage and all the 3D now is starting to take off for major games and events.

Can't see things changing much myself.

 

[Clevers]

I'm sure when the TV contracts are renegotiated a way to stop this will be incorporated.